Megan Conder, a junior on the Oregon women’s golf team, has officially left the team, the team’s spokesman confirmed to the Emerald.
“Her goals did not match up with ours,” Oregon head coach Ria Scott said in a statement through the school.
Megan Conder (via GoDucks.com)
Conder transferred midway through the 2016-17 season to Santa Clara University. She’s enrolled in classes and is listed on the team’s online roster. The transfer is a bit of a homecoming for Conder, who grew up about an hour away in Brentwood, California.
“I’m really happy in Santa Clara,” Conder said. “My team is amazing. My coach is amazing. I love the campus. I’ve made some really great friends here. But as for my golf career, I thought just moving forward that this would be the best thing for me.”
Conder missed all of the 2015-16 season after recovering from a chipped bone in her ankle, and she said that the rehab process kept her from being with the team for most of the season.
“I think there was a big disconnect,” Conder said. “It wasn’t like miscommunication, but I think there was a big gap when I was hurt because I wasn’t there with the team and the coaches so much. I didn’t see them like everybody else did and I was gone for so long. Every day people were doing work on the golf course while I was doing work in the weight room — trying to get back. I just think there was a big gap.
“Over [last] summer I worked my butt off to try and play good golf when I came back for this year and then I just think it was really different for everybody.”
Conder was a part of a two-member 2014 recruiting class, the other being Kelsey Ulep. Conder last played during the 2014-15 season, as a freshman, where she tied for second overall at the Cultrame Classic after shooting a team best even par (146).
She also competed against the Real Federación Española de Golf team when the Ducks traveled to Spain in 2014. Those were the only official rounds of golf she played while at Oregon.
“I miss it,” she said of Eugene. “I had a lot of good friends up at school and I really, really loved Eugene. It’s such a special place in my heart and going back to see my friends, I look forward to that. But as for golf and stuff, I kinda had to do it.”
Follow Gus Morris on Twitter @JustGusMorris
